The Story of Sally Hemings
Read the The Hemings-Jefferson Treaty and view the following video from PBS Newshour (8 minutes) segment.
Please then answer the following 2 questions:
1. Why should the story of Sally Hemings be told as part of the history of Monticello?
2. “In 2000, Monticello published a report on DNA and other evidence of Jefferson’s paternity of Hemings’ six children, four of whom survived to adulthood. That and work by leading scholars helped bring public acceptance. Some doubters remain, but experts and Monticello itself now consider this a settled matter.” Why do you think this doubt exists on the part of some members of the public? What role does scientific evidence play in this matter?
Unearthing Sally Hemings’ legacy at Monticello (Links to an external site.)
